Daily Mirror Voice of a Generation spokesperson Helen Whitehouse wonders why today's youngsters are less likely to be in favour of welfare than their parents

It seems we are, according to one new report anyway. Apparently only 20% of those born between 1980 and 2000 agree that more money should be spent on welfare, compared with 40% of those born before 1946.

This comes from the study Generation Strains, conducted by Ipsos Mori along with think tank Demos.

On the face of it, you can see why this might be the case. War collectivism is a thing of the past, no one has a reason to stick together and show a united front, so maybe people just don’t care too much if their neighbours are struggling.

Today’s young people have their own financial worries too. Anyone who’s been to university will almost certainly come out with debts the post-war generation could never have imagined.

Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror

Helen Whitehouse. Voice of a Generation finalist

With those debts to pay, why should they worry too much about benefits? Our parents would have the luxury of signing up for mortgages after uni, whereas my generation is still scraping rent together for a room in an eight bed student house which uses an unhinged door as a table.

But, hard up young people should spare a thought for those who need the welfare system just to make ends meet. It probably is true that the post-war generation is more left wing that today.

Back then the benefits system had only just been created and real poverty was still rife. Maybe its a good thing that today’s generation are savvy enough to know there is no bottomless pot of money for benefits.

But what everyone needs to realise is that the cash which is available should be spent where it is needed most. And at a time when some people need food banks to survive, the top rate of income tax should have been kept in place and used to support them.